So, student pilots.. Who are we and where do we stand?

Half Fast said:
Congratulations, pilot! Tell us all about it. Got pics?
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Thanks! Note, this is for Sport Pilot.

The past three months of my flight training really slowed down due to family schedules. With that, I got a bit discouraged thinking I'd never get to my checkride. Finally it got to the point where my wife and I sat down and said that it just had to be done. So over the past month I took my written and did a few last flights for review (I was at 22ish hours prior to checkride today). Also started my "review" for the checkride - a few nights each week of going over everything I learned since starting my flight instruction back in December 2018. I found weather and regs to be most challenging because there is just SO MUCH of it.

So here I was, entirely "over-prepared" for the oral. I had no difficulties with it; the scenarios and questions were excellent and I felt helped determine my knowledge level and ability to competently fly an aircraft in accordance with FARs. I only had one or two where the DPE helped me out - I never looked anything up (I offered but I feel that he'd rather have a discussion rather than me look up and read the answer, which he knew I could do). It didn't take long at all to finish the oral, which was wrapped up by going over the XC. I had it planned out on Foreflight and paper, along with manually doing the W&B and takeoff/landing performance. No issues there, and we went out to preflight.

Tanks were topped off, so we had to take about 6 gallons out to get under max. After that, one last bathroom break and then off we went. Passenger brief (he gave a good few tips, I keep on making it too complicated) and taxied out. Light crosswind on departure, and I made my way to my first checkpoint located 15nm away. About 5nm away from my checkpoint, we realized we were going to overfly it without any correction needed (using paper only for navigation). At that point he told me to divert to another field. I turned in the general direction of it and put the field into the GPS to show I knew how to operate it. Immediately after that we went into steep turns, slow flight, stalls, emergency procedure, turns about a point, then back to the airport for landings.

My short field landing was awful. I was right on the designated touchdown point, but tried to land on some imaginary surface 20' below the runway. Ouch. Lost too much energy coming in. The rest went fine. He knew exactly what happened on the short field so we discussed it and how to prevent it in the future. After a go-around and a forward slip to landing, we taxied back and he went inside while I took care of the plane. No "you passed" or anything, but I figured no news is good news. Went inside, debriefed, did the paperwork, shook hands, and that was it.

My DPE was awesome. Sense of humor, a great deal of aviation experience that allowed him to give me some great pointers, and he was there to make sure I was a safe pilot. I'd gladly give him a call again when I get around to completing my Private someday.
 
congratulations!! Amazing feeling of freedom, right? Careful - it turns into an addiction!
 
Outstanding! Sounds like you did a fine job. I started out with SP also and got my ticket in 2017. I moved up to Private in June.

Go fly and enjoy your new privileges! What airplane?
 
mmaclauchlan said:
So here I was, entirely "over-prepared" for the oral. I had no difficulties with it; the scenarios and questions were excellent and I felt helped determine my knowledge level and ability to competently fly an aircraft in accordance with FARs. I only had one or two where the DPE helped me out - I never looked anything up (I offered but I feel that he'd rather have a discussion rather than me look up and read the answer, which he knew I could do).
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Only you and they know how much they “helped you out” and they’re not supposed to do that, so don’t tell us... hahaha... but...

Wanted to say that I’ve seen this sentiment more since the testing went to scenarios instead of the old school “stump the chump” style of memorized (by the DPE) questions and answers (by the applicant).

Often the candidate feels they got help, when I’ve noticed the “help” is often just a reassuring comment to lower stress like, “Is there a regulation or document that might cover this?” Or extremely simple hints that help tie the thing they’re looking for to the scenario, “Is there any terrain between here and there?”

It jogs the basic building blocks taught by the instructor back to the candidate’s mental foreground when they’re thinking and trying to figure out what of 40 different things they’re thinking about in a flight planning scenario the examiner is thinking about also. The examiner knows already long before that point if the candidate is thinking about the 40 things and isn’t drawing continual blanks on most of them.

Scenarios are far better than the rote memorization stuff to see if someone is thinking about the whole picture than the old way, but it adds an interesting challenge for both sides. The examiner still wants to hear that correct answer for that one piece, but knows the candidate is off thinking about fuel, airspace, weather, passenger comfort, landmarks, etc etc etc.

Sounds like you were PIC from start to finish and adequately prepared. Stay PIC and prepared as you venture out on your own. Don’t skip steps! The statistics say that creeps in after you’ve flown a bit.

Again, congrats!
 
denverpilot said:
Scenarios are far better than the rote memorization stuff to see if someone is thinking about the whole picture than the old way, but it adds an interesting challenge for both sides. The examiner still wants to hear that correct answer for that one piece, but knows the candidate is off thinking about fuel, airspace, weather, passenger comfort, landmarks, etc etc etc.
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Very true.

Many scenarios can have more than one "right" answer, and the DPE needs to recognize that and judge whether the student's answer is safe and legal even if it wasn't the one the DPE was expecting.
 
You're spot on, Nate. The "help" was just additional discussion to get me to think more about the scenario and dig deeper into my brain. In no way was an answer provided for me! That's one reason why I liked this DPE (I assume many others follow this style). He really made me think, and it wasn't just seeing if I had a rote level of knowledge.
 
Checkride is scheduled for this coming Tuesday. Meeting with the DPE today after work to let him give my logbook a look. Can’t wait but am really nervous lol
 
TennVolsPilot39 said:
Checkride is scheduled for this coming Tuesday. Meeting with the DPE today after work to let him give my logbook a look. Can’t wait but am really nervous lol
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Good luck! After the first few questions of the oral, the nerves went away for me. Once that was wrapped up, I just got excited knowing we were about to go flying, and flying is always fun.
 
I was supposed to fly a "mock check ride" today. CFI called me yesterday and told me the plane broke. Apparently the new composite spinner departed the plane. So I did GNS 430 work on his flight sim this morning. I'm still awaiting a text/call back from the DPE to schedule the ride...
 
Maybe it's a central Florida thing. Took me from an endorsement in late March until late June to actually get the ride done. Grumble.....
 
Hi all, new guy here. After getting my private back in 2000 and then taking a 17 year hiatus, I’m back and currently working on an IR.
 
jsstevens said:
Apparently the new composite spinner departed the plane.
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Uhhhh... is there a story there? Was it spinning at the time? Was it airborne? Is everyone OK??
 
jsstevens said:
I was supposed to fly a "mock check ride" today. CFI called me yesterday and told me the plane broke. Apparently the new composite spinner departed the plane. So I did GNS 430 work on his flight sim this morning. I'm still awaiting a text/call back from the DPE to schedule the ride...
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Or did the plane depart the spinner? Aren't there two sides to this story? Shouldn't we keep open minds? Why the rush to judgement of the spinner?
 
kath said:
Uhhhh... is there a story there? Was it spinning at the time? Was it airborne? Is everyone OK??
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Everyone is OK and the plane is OK (except the missing spinner). I don't have any more details as to was it flying when it happened.
 
jsstevens said:
I was supposed to fly a "mock check ride" today. CFI called me yesterday and told me the plane broke. Apparently the new composite spinner departed the plane. So I did GNS 430 work on his flight sim this morning. I'm still awaiting a text/call back from the DPE to schedule the ride...
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Check ride scheduled for October 5th at 0830. Still waiting to find out when the plane will be back flying...
 
Student pilot here, 30+ hours, with 6 hours of solo time. Intend to add to that total today and tomorrow.
 
jsstevens said:
Check ride scheduled for October 5th at 0830. Still waiting to find out when the plane will be back flying...
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And DPE texted. Can't do the 5th. Can I do the 6th? (I can't). How about the 7th or 8th? He'll consult his calendar and get back to me Sunday. Nothing so far... (And no word on the plane being back in the air either.)

Sigh.
 
jsstevens said:
And DPE texted. Can't do the 5th. Can I do the 6th? (I can't). How about the 7th or 8th? He'll consult his calendar and get back to me Sunday. Nothing so far... (And no word on the plane being back in the air either.)

Sigh.
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Still no airplane. So I've cancelled my ride. :(

I can use a club airplane, but not at a different airport (They don't want the logs to move for review. It's probably reasonable.) I can use the club member who's a DPE and I've reached out to him but not had any response so far. Also, at this point I haven't flown in a since late July and am not really ready for a check ride. The instructor who's signed me off has no access to an airplane and is not a member of the club-so he can't give instruction in club airplanes- and the club instructors were all to busy to take me on in the spring. If I get with a club instructor they'll want to verify my readiness (I would if I were them) so I'm back to more training.

Sorry, this is a bit of whining, but wow this is hard for all the wrong reasons.

John
 
jsstevens said:
Still no airplane. So I've cancelled my ride. :(

I can use a club airplane, but not at a different airport (They don't want the logs to move for review. It's probably reasonable.) I can use the club member who's a DPE and I've reached out to him but not had any response so far. Also, at this point I haven't flown in a since late July and am not really ready for a check ride. The instructor who's signed me off has no access to an airplane and is not a member of the club-so he can't give instruction in club airplanes- and the club instructors were all to busy to take me on in the spring. If I get with a club instructor they'll want to verify my readiness (I would if I were them) so I'm back to more training.

Sorry, this is a bit of whining, but wow this is hard for all the wrong reasons.

John
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Yep. Brother, I feel your pain.

I was signed off for my PPL checkride at the end of March. Didn't get it done until the third week of June. If it's not the weather, it's the plane availability. If it's not the plane, it's the DPE availability. And by then you need a new endorsement. And on it goes...

This is why they say a pilot is always learning. :D
 
Well I've been rogue for a while, trying to get back into things and be more active on here/flying. I moved to Atlanta in July and haven't flown since. Where I previously lived I had easy access to a flying club with really affordable rates. I need to find a flying club in the Atlanta area and get back into it. Probably going to be putting the instrument training to the side for a while as I don't see myself having the time or funds to really crank out some lessons. Will keep studying the books though.

Also, if any of you are in the Atlanta area I would love to meet up sometime. I've been trying to find any kind of pilot/flying events in the area and haven't had any luck.
 
Ronbonjovi said:
Also, if any of you are in the Atlanta area I would love to meet up sometime. I've been trying to find any kind of pilot/flying events in the area and haven't had any luck.
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Now that nice wx has finally arrived, we should put together a lunch meetup at LZU or PDK. LZU would be better for those flying in since you can park at the restaurant and no ramp fee.
 
jsstevens said:
Still no airplane. So I've cancelled my ride. :(

I can use a club airplane, but not at a different airport (They don't want the logs to move for review. It's probably reasonable.) I can use the club member who's a DPE and I've reached out to him but not had any response so far. Also, at this point I haven't flown in a since late July and am not really ready for a check ride. The instructor who's signed me off has no access to an airplane and is not a member of the club-so he can't give instruction in club airplanes- and the club instructors were all to busy to take me on in the spring. If I get with a club instructor they'll want to verify my readiness (I would if I were them) so I'm back to more training.

Sorry, this is a bit of whining, but wow this is hard for all the wrong reasons.

John
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I flew a mock check ride in the instructors simulator Saturday morning. He said I'll do fine. (I got behind the simulator a few times but it's darned hard to fly by hand and my procedural stuff was good. My practical instrument test is now scheduled for 8AM Oct. 18th. In between I'm getting a mock check ride in the plane I'll be using for the check ride on the 12th with a club instructor.

Stand by for news...
John
 
John, looking forward to sharing your success!

Ronbonjovi, enjoy Hotlanta and north GA! If you have an opportunity check out the low country on the coast! There are a restaurants near Darien (well there were when I lived there) where you can watch them unload your dinner before cooking it.
 
write-stuff said:
Now that nice wx has finally arrived, we should put together a lunch meetup at LZU or PDK. LZU would be better for those flying in since you can park at the restaurant and no ramp fee.
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That sounds great to me! I have a few out of town things over the next few months but would definitely make it if I am in town. I would love to meet local pilots.

jonvcaples said:
John, looking forward to sharing your success!

Ronbonjovi, enjoy Hotlanta and north GA! If you have an opportunity check out the low country on the coast! There are a restaurants near Darien (well there were when I lived there) where you can watch them unload your dinner before cooking it.
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It has been great so far! Traffic is a little more hectic than I'm used to but not awful. I want to go down to Savannah. Live in upstate SC most of my life and never made the trip.
 
Ah yes, Sav! Very odd place. The movie Midnight in the Garden of Evil just scratches the surface. It used to be very introspective and clannish. If you were from outside you weren't welcome and neither was your money. Now they'll gladly take your money. Very large Jewish population who welcomed you and your money. Large US Army presence in town (Hunter Army Airfield) and in nearby town (name escapes me but local legend has it that it is Camp Swampy in Beetle Bailey cartoon).

Sneaky Pete's on the waterfront used to be a good place to avoid...business associate of a friend held wedding reception there. Interesting time! It was the kind of place where the bouncers frisked you and, if you didn't have a weapon, they offered to rent you one.

There used to be one of the watch them unload your meal restaurants on the way out to Tybee Island but the name escapes me. Tybee is pretty Jekyll and St. Simons (down by Brunswick) are prettier and the beaches were bigger. Again this is my memories from long ago.

Lots of quaint little squares and 1 way streets in downtown. Great for walking, but plan on doing a lot of walking because parking is almost non-existent. In fine southern tradition local heroes have streets named after them...or maybe 2-8 blocks. Same road will have several different names which is very frustrating even after you get used to it.

Have fun!
 
jsstevens said:
I flew a mock check ride in the instructors simulator Saturday morning. He said I'll do fine. (I got behind the simulator a few times but it's darned hard to fly by hand and my procedural stuff was good. My practical instrument test is now scheduled for 8AM Oct. 18th. In between I'm getting a mock check ride in the plane I'll be using for the check ride on the 12th with a club instructor.

Stand by for news...
John
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Check ride for the 18th canceled. I can't fulfill the "3 hours training in an airplane in the 60 days prior to the practical test" requirement. On a side not, I went with a safety pilot and pretty much botched the RNAV 9R approach into Sanford (KSFB) so I thin some brush up is in order. Now I just need to find a club instructor who can take that on...
 
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